Indonesian Work & Holiday Visa

The Work and Holiday Visa is designed to create opportunities for young people to engage in social and cultural exchange between Indonesia and Australia. The visa is designed to encourage more Australians and Indonesians to visit each country, and allows its holders to work to subsidise their holiday.

In Indonesian, the visa is known as the Visa Bekerja dan Berlibur.

The Work and Holiday Visa is now granted to up to 1000 young Australian citizens each year who wish to travel and work in Indonesia for a maximum period of 12 months. Throughout that period, visa holders may work in temporary or casual employment to supplement their time in Indonesia and must not engage in any studies or training for more than four (4) months.

What does the visa allow?

The Indonesian work and holiday visa permits its holders to take up work in certain industries for up to six months at a time, and to study for up to four months. The work and holiday visa does not permit work as an English teacher in Indonesia.

Have sufficient funds for their maintenance during the period of initial stay in Indonesia (min AUD 5,000);

Have good health and good character;

Possess a passport of minimum 18 months validity;

The visa is intended for young people interested in working and travelling in Indonesia for a period of up to 12 months. Applicants should be between 18 and 30 years of age, with tertiary qualifications or at least two years of undergraduate university study—this means that the visa would not be suitable for students planning a gap year between high school and university.

Applicants for the visa are also required to demonstrated an ability to understand and communicate in the Indonesian language – a basic conversational standard of Indonesian will be sufficient to meet the visa requirements. You should also have sufficient funds to meet their personal expenses for their first three months in Indonesia – in general, this means that you should have savings of around $AUD5,000 – in addition to an onward or return ticket from Indonesia.

Applying for a visa

Application costs at the Indonesian consulate

Visa application fee

$135.00

Approval letter

$10.00

Total cost

$196.00

Applications can be submitted to the Indonesian embassy in Canberra, or at Indonesian consulates in Sydney, Melbourne or Perth. The application fee for the Work and Holiday visa is $AUD134, with an additional charge of $10 for an approval letter. Visa applications forms can be found on your respective Indonesian consulate.

With your application, you should include a letter of recommendation from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship stating that the application meets the visa’s eligibility requirements.

Once your application has been submitted, you should allow at least four weeks for the application to be processed and approved by Indonesian authorities in Jakarta.

Application checklist

Your passport is up-to-date, and will be valid for at least 18 months;

Photocopy of your passport proving your identity and age;

Academic transcripts to indicate at least two years of undergraduate university study;

Proof of at least $AUD5,000 in savings

A medical check indicating good health

Letter of recommendation from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship

Proof of return/onward journey ticket

Travelling with the visa

Costs on Arrival

Limited stay permit (KITAS)

IDR1.000.000

Multiple exit permit (MREP)

IDR700.000

Biometric photograph

IDR50.000

Total cost

IDR1.750.000

If your application is successful, you’ll need to enter Indonesia through one of six designated entry airports:

Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Jakarta;

Ngurah Rai International Airport, Bali;

Adi Sucipto International Airport, Yogyakarta;

Tritunas Semesta International Airport, Batam;

Polonia International Airport, Medan; or

Sam Ratulangi International Airport, Manado.

When you arrive, you will also be required to additional fees for a limited stay permit (KITAS), multiple exit permit (MREP) and a biometric photograph.

Further resources

The information provided on this page is given as guidance only – you should be sure to clarify all requirements, rules, and costs before you apply. These suggested costs do not include other charges like travel insurance, departure tax, photocopying and passport photo charges.

Last updated 3rd April 2016.

Stay informed

Subscribe to AIYA's weekly newsletter for all the latest news, events and opportunities delivered direct to your inbox every Friday.